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Key findings
- 13 of 23 entries state a return or onward ticket as a condition of entry.
- 9 leave it to the officer: the ticket is one of the documents you may be asked for (Schengen Area, UK, Ireland, Mexico, Brazil and others).
- 1 says outright that no return ticket is needed (Australia), as long as you can show you are able to leave.
- New Zealand is the strictest on paper: NZeTA travellers must show a ticket out that is already paid for, at check-in.
- Some rules are enforced by airlines at boarding, not only at the border: New Zealand, the Dominican Republic and the US Visa Waiver Program.
Rules by country
Sorted A to Z; select a column heading to re-sort. Required: the official source states the ticket as an entry condition. Required, airline checks: the same, and the source puts the check on the airline at boarding. May be asked: officers may request it, or it applies to some visa types only. Not required: the source says so. Rules change; open the source before you fly.
| What the source says | Official source | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Asia & Oceania | Not required | immigration | No requirement to hold a return ticket on arrival, but border officers must be satisfied you intend to, and have the means to, leave before your visa expires. A bank statement can show you can buy a ticket. | Australian High Commission, Wellington (DFAT): Visa and Immigration FAQ Checked |
| Brazil Americas | May be asked | immigration | The Federal Police may ask for additional documents on entry, including inbound and outbound international flights, itinerary and proof of accommodation. | Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Embassy in Helsinki): Entry into Brazil Checked |
| Colombia Americas | Required | immigration | Travel documents must be accompanied by a visa if required, an exit ticket from Colombia and proof of funds, as applicable. | Migración Colombia: Entry and exit requirements Checked |
| Costa Rica Americas | Required | immigration | Entry requirements (Law 8764 art. 42, Decree 36769-G art. 30) include a ticket back to your country of origin or an onward ticket, and proof of at least USD 100 per month of stay. | General Visa Guidelines, La Gaceta Alcance 148, 17 Nov 2025 (Government of Costa Rica) Checked |
| Dominican Republic Caribbean | Required, airline checks | airline | Since 28 April 2023 all foreign passengers must present a ticket into and out of the country; airlines check it at boarding. Dominican citizens and legal residents are exempt. | Embassy of the Dominican Republic in the USA: FAQ Checked |
| India Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | e-Visa eligibility: the foreigner should have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, with sufficient money for the stay. | Government of India, Indian Visa Online: e-Visa FAQ Checked |
| Indonesia (incl. Bali) Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | Visa on arrival requires a return ticket or an onward ticket to another country. For the e-VOA, the officer at the port of entry may ask for the return ticket. | Directorate General of Immigration: Visa on Arrival requirements (FAQ) Checked |
| Ireland Europe | May be asked | immigration | The immigration officer at the port of entry may ask to see your accommodation bookings and return flight details. | Department of Foreign Affairs: Visas for Ireland Checked |
| Japan Asia & Oceania | May be asked | immigration | Landing documents are at the discretion of the Immigration Services Agency. The Embassy strongly advises carrying proof that you will leave, such as a return flight ticket. | Embassy of Japan in the UK: Visa FAQ Checked |
| Kenya Africa & Middle East | May be asked | immigration | If required by an immigration officer, foreign nationals must produce return or onward tickets (or evidence of onward travel arrangements), funds and accommodation details. The eTA form asks for the departure itinerary. | Directorate of Immigration Services: Arrival procedures Checked |
| Malaysia Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | Entry requirements at international entry points include a valid return ticket home or an onward ticket to the next country, and proof of accommodation. | Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture: Entry requirements for foreign tourists at international entry points Checked |
| Mexico Americas | May be asked | immigration | Visa-free visitors: to confirm the purpose of the trip, the immigration officer may ask for a hotel reservation, return tickets or tour tickets (itinerary), and how you will leave the country. | Instituto Nacional de Migración: Countries that do not require a visa Checked |
| New Zealand Asia & Oceania | Required, airline checks | airline and immigration | NZeTA travellers must show at check-in a ticket out of New Zealand that is already paid for (or a cruise itinerary), departing within 3 months of arrival (6 months for UK citizens). Visa holders need a ticket or proof of funds to buy one. | Immigration New Zealand: NZeTA requirements Checked |
| Panama Americas | Required | immigration | Entry requirements include a confirmed reservation to leave the country within the permitted stay, a passport valid 3 months and proof of at least B/.500. | Servicio Nacional de Migración: Frequently asked questions Checked |
| Philippines Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | Visa-free entry (30 days for most nationalities) requires valid tickets for the return journey to the port of origin or to the next port of destination, and a passport valid 6 months beyond the stay. | Department of Foreign Affairs: Guidelines on the Entry of Temporary Visitors Checked |
| Schengen Area Europe | May be asked | immigration | Border guards may ask for supporting documents, including a return or round-trip ticket (Schengen Borders Code art. 6(3), Annex I). Consulates may also ask for a reservation or return ticket in visa applications. iso2 'EU' is a placeholder for the 29 Schengen states. | Regulation (EU) 2016/399, Schengen Borders Code (EUR-Lex) Checked |
| Singapore Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | Short-term travellers should have sufficient cash and proof of onward travel (tickets, visas) at immigration clearance. Submit the SG Arrival Card within 3 days before arrival. | Immigration & Checkpoints Authority: Entering Singapore Checked |
| South Africa Africa & Middle East | May be asked | immigration | At the port of entry you may be required to present a return or onward ticket with your ETA approval, proof of accommodation and funds. | Department of Home Affairs: South African ETA FAQ Checked |
| Sri Lanka Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | ETA holders must present a confirmed return ticket, a passport valid 6 months and sufficient funds at the port of entry. The ETA mandate itself has changed several times; check the Department of Immigration before you fly. | Department of Immigration and Emigration: ETA, how to apply Checked |
| Thailand Asia & Oceania | Required | immigration | Visa exemption: proof of onward travel scheduled within 30 days of arrival, plus proof of accommodation. Visa on arrival: fully paid onward tickets within 15 days of entry. | Royal Thai Embassy, London: Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival Schemes Checked |
| United Arab Emirates Africa & Middle East | May be asked | immigration | A ticket showing a continuing or return journey is listed for the multiple-entry 5-year tourist visa. Visa-on-arrival rules depend on nationality; check the UAE portal. | The Official Portal of the UAE Government: Tourist visa Checked |
| United Kingdom Europe | May be asked | immigration | No ticket is mandated, but visitors must be able to show they will leave at the end of the visit and can pay for the return or onward journey. Border officers may ask. | GOV.UK: Visit the UK as a Standard Visitor Checked |
| United States Americas | Required | airline and immigration | Visa Waiver Program travellers arriving by air or sea must hold a round-trip ticket out of the US to a foreign place; a trip ending in Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island does not count unless you live there. Not required at land borders. | 8 CFR 217.2(c), Visa Waiver Program (eCFR) Checked |
Missing a country? We only publish a rule we could confirm on an official page. Countries still under review (for example Vietnam, Peru and Ecuador) are left out until we can.
Methodology
- One official source per country. A government immigration or foreign-ministry page, an embassy page, or the law itself (for example the Schengen Borders Code on EUR-Lex and 8 CFR 217 for the US). Never a blog, forum or visa agency.
- We quote what the source says, no more. When a page says officers "may" ask for a ticket, the entry is "May be asked", not "Required".
- Every entry carries the date we last opened its source. This version was checked on .
- Unconfirmed means unpublished. If we cannot find an official statement either way, the country stays in our review list and off this page.
- Scope. Short tourist stays for travellers who are visa-exempt or hold a tourist visa or travel authorisation. Rules for residents, transit passengers and specific nationalities differ.
Found an outdated rule? Write to support@flicket.me with the official link and we will update the entry and its date. Corrections are logged in our editorial policy.
Who checks: airline or immigration
Airlines at check-in
An airline that flies a passenger who is then refused entry usually has to fly them back, so check-in agents read the destination's entry rules (generally from the IATA Timatic database) before issuing a boarding pass. Some countries make this explicit: New Zealand says you must show proof of travel out at check-in, the Dominican Republic holds airlines responsible for checking a ticket into and out of the country, and US Visa Waiver travellers must arrive on a carrier that signed the program agreement, holding a round-trip ticket (8 CFR 217.2).
Immigration at the border
Most rules in the table are applied by the immigration officer on arrival, together with proof of funds and accommodation. In the Schengen Area a return or round-trip ticket is one of the supporting documents a border guard may request (Borders Code, Annex I). If you are refused entry, you are normally returned on the next flight.
Consulates, for visa applications
Where you need a visa in advance, the consulate may ask for a flight reservation or return ticket with the application. Check the document list of the consulate you apply to; it is the only list that counts. Our onward ticket explainer covers the terms.
What counts as proof
- A booked flight out of the country, return or to a third country, in your name. This is what every source above accepts. New Zealand requires it to be paid for.
- A bus, train or boat ticket where the source allows it: Thailand (air, train, bus or boat), Colombia (air, land, sea or river), Costa Rica (return or onward ticket), New Zealand (cruise itinerary). An airline may still ask for a flight at check-in.
- Proof you can buy a ticket is enough in some places: Australia and the UK ask that you can leave and pay for it, and New Zealand visa holders may show funds instead of a ticket.
- Not proof: a hotel booking, a screenshot of search results, or a document with a made-up booking reference. Presenting a false document can get you refused entry.
Flexible plans? A refundable or changeable fare costs more up front but can be cancelled within the airline's rules. Compare fare conditions before you buy; they are set by the airline, not by the booking site.
Cite or reuse this dataset
The data is free to copy, adapt and republish under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0). Please credit Flicket.me with a link to this page.
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Compare fares to these countries
If a country needs a ticket out, it helps to know what fares look like. Flicket.me compares airlines and booking sites through our search partner; you book with the seller, and we may earn a commission.
- Australia: flights to Sydney, flights to Melbourne
- Brazil: flights to Rio de Janeiro, flights to São Paulo
- Colombia: flights to Bogotá
- India: flights to Delhi, flights to Mumbai, flights to Goa, flights to Chennai
- Indonesia (incl. Bali): flights to Bali
- Ireland: flights to Dublin
- Japan: flights to Tokyo, flights to Osaka
- Malaysia: flights to Kuala Lumpur
- Mexico: flights to Cancun, flights to Mexico City
- Schengen Area: flights to Paris, flights to Amsterdam, flights to Rome, flights to Madrid, flights to Barcelona, flights to Lisbon
- Singapore: flights to Singapore
- Thailand: flights to Bangkok
- United Arab Emirates: flights to Dubai
- United Kingdom: flights to London, flights to Manchester
- United States: flights to New York, flights to Los Angeles, flights to Miami, flights to Orlando, flights to San Francisco, flights to Honolulu
Frequently asked questions
Which countries require proof of onward travel?
In our dataset, 13 of 23 entries state a return or onward ticket as a condition of entry, among them Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, India, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia, the United States (Visa Waiver Program), New Zealand and the Dominican Republic. In 9 more, including the Schengen Area, the UK, Ireland, Mexico and Brazil, officers may ask for one.
Do airlines check for an onward ticket?
Some countries put the check on the airline. New Zealand says NZeTA travellers must show a paid ticket out of the country at check-in, the Dominican Republic makes airlines confirm a ticket into and out of the country before boarding, and US Visa Waiver travellers must arrive with a round-trip ticket on a carrier that has signed the program agreement. Airlines generally read entry rules from the IATA Timatic database.
Is a hotel booking enough as proof of onward travel?
No. A hotel booking shows where you will stay, not how you will leave. Several countries ask for both: Thailand lists proof of accommodation and proof of onward travel, and Malaysia lists an accommodation booking and a return or onward ticket.
Does a bus or ferry ticket count?
Often, yes. Thailand accepts confirmed air, train, bus or boat tickets, Costa Rica accepts a ticket back to your country or an onward ticket, and Colombia accepts an exit ticket by air, land, sea or river. New Zealand also accepts a cruise itinerary. An airline at check-in may still ask for a flight, so carry the full booking confirmation.
Is Australia on the list?
Australia does not require a return ticket on arrival, according to the Australian High Commission. Border officers must still be satisfied that you intend to leave and can pay for a ticket, so a bank statement helps.